Talent Development

In a TV interview on CBS This Morning, Jeff Weiner, LinkedIn CEO, said that he has come to understand that compassion is not just a better way to build a team, it’s a better way to build a business. In his commencement address to the Wharton School graduating class (on May 13, 2018) he talked about his vow, that if he were to manage people, he would aspire to manage them compassionately. Weiner said, “if you really want to lift…

Often, we go about our lives with very little self-awareness. We just do what we do, without much thought. We’re busy with the hum of daily life. We’ve got places to go, people to see. We’ve got bills to pay. We’ve got stuff to do. And if we’re lucky, we carve out some time for ourselves. Yet, all the while, there is a constant whirr of noise in our heads. This noise subtly shapes the choices we make, steering and influencing…

Have you ever been in a really crowded Subway/Metro or a packed elevator at quitting time? Your awareness is heightened in these extremely close quarters. You may notice your elbow touching someone, or your bag bumping awkwardly around you. You may notice the silence, or the noise, the whirr of the machine, the clanking, the quiet conversations, a burst of laughter, maybe even your own breathing? You may notice the scent of freshly washed hair, or aroma of someone overdue for…

Fear of Failure Does the fear of failure hold you back? Are you afraid to try new things? When was the last time you took on something new, something that challenged you, made you stretch beyond your comfort zone, something that was even a bit scary? Would you be more willing to make a mistake if you knew that failure really is an option? Real vs. Imagined Failure What does it mean to fail? How we think about failure is different…

On average, you think 50,000 – 70,000 thoughts per day, most of which are subconscious. In fact, about 90% of our conscious thinking is habitual and automatic, like a program running in the background of our minds. Our brains are wired to maximize efficiency, but is this efficiency helping or hurting our ability to make good decisions? Think about this. Do you respond without thinking? How often do you jump to a conclusion? How do you handle an unexpected interruption?…

In our fast paced world sometimes it’s hard to hear yourself think. When our brains are in overdrive, constantly being bombarded by information, technology, advertisements, and interruptions, it’s a wonder we get anything done, let alone have room for ideas, original thought, or breakthrough moments. Try to recall the last time you had quiet, where your mind could wander, without something pressing to do. You need to slow down to hear yourself think. We Need Downtime Often we are list…

Do you ever find yourself doing something, or being somewhere, but not really being there? You’re watching a soccer game, or are part of a conversation, and suddenly you realize you have no idea that your child just scored, or that you were just asked a question? Have you found yourself driving somewhere, not really noticing anything along the way, and wondered how is possible you’ve arrived safely? A friend, who is a martial arts black belt, recently shared this…

Do your performance reviews really improve performance? How often do you find yourself over focused on performance review issues like what to evaluate, how to be objective and make good judgments, the timing, annual or employment date, the frequency, wage increases tied to reviews, or not, pay steps, percentage increases, wage freezes, unions, supervisors, 360’s, remote employees? It’s exhausting! We do all of this, and yet no one’s happy, you don’t accomplish the results you really want, and then it’s time to do…

I’ve been asked “can you teach compassion?” and the answer is YES, but…. depending on how you think. For some, compassion comes from deep inside. knowing that people are valuable. Period. This is understanding from an intrinsic point of view. On the other hand, you may know that it’s important to be compassionate, and like our friend Sheldon Cooper, from The Big Bang Theory, when someone needs comfort, you’re supposed to offer a hot beverage. This is compassion from an…

Studies have shown that typically employees withhold more than 40% of their potential, and as many as 70% of employees are not actively engaged in their work. That’s a lot of untapped potential. Interestingly, these numbers have remained steady for several decades. As a leader, you need to learn to tap into this well of your employee’s “reserve” to maximize the potential and performance of your team. It’s like tapping into a maple tree in the spring to collect gallons…